Hundreds of union staff have staged protests exterior Bunnings shops throughout the nation to demand the {hardware} large cease promoting a well-liked kitchen benchtop that has been linked to an incurable illness.
Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) members gathered in Queensland, NSW, Victoria, ACT, WA and SA on Saturday to induce the corporate to cease promoting engineered stone kitchen bench tops.
Dozens of union members stood exterior Bunnings shops, waving placards and handing out pamphlets as a part of its Stop This Killer Stone marketing campaign.
The union represents tradespeople, together with stone masons, and say they need their members to be protected against the hazards of silicosis.
The engineered benchtops, which have change into modern in Australian kitchens and bogs, comprise a excessive focus of crystalline silica.
Working with engineered stone can expose staff to the chance of probably lethal silicosis and different associated ailments. Silicosis is incurable and is attributable to inhaling tiny particles of silica mud.
“Bunnings customers deserve to know it is profiting from killer stone bench tops,” CFMEU nationwide secretary Zach Smith mentioned.
“Our members have today been educating Bunnings customers so as many people as possible have the facts about engineered stone and the alternatives that don’t kill workers.”
“Bunnings will stop selling killer stone immediately if it really cares about Australian workers’ lives,” the union boss added.
Bunnings says all engineered stone benchtops it sells come pre-cut to dimension and it takes security issues significantly.
Federal and state ministers are at the moment contemplating a Safe Work Australia report a couple of potential ban on high-concentration crystalline silica slabs.
Modelling launched by Curtin University earlier this 12 months predicted that greater than 10,000 Australians will develop lung most cancers and as much as 103,000 staff might be identified with silicosis because of publicity to silica mud throughout their lifetimes.
The union mentioned it wished engineered stone banned and, if their demand is just not met by mid subsequent 12 months, it should ban its members from working with the fabric.
Bunnings director of merchandise Jen Tucker mentioned the {hardware} large was conscious of issues and mentioned it might proceed to “monitor and follow advice from the regulatory authorities”.
It’s understood that after receiving a letter from the union, the shop provided to fulfill with officers.
The engineered stone benchtop merchandise provided in its shops are bought through a provide and set up package deal, with the supplies coming pre-cut and any alterations achieved through a specialist provider.
“Most of the benchtops we sell in store are laminate or timber,” Ms Tucker mentioned.
“However, the engineered stone benchtops we provide are pre-cut to size before they arrive at a customer’s site and are supplied and installed by a specialist provider that holds an engineered stone licence and applies strict safety standards to protect production and installation teams in line with the requirements of their licence.”
Originally printed as Bunnings hit by nationwide protests over ‘killer’ product
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
